Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)

Níl ach trí nóiméad agam le labhairt ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo, na scoileanna beaga i gConamara, go mórmhór iadsan sa Ghaeltacht. Tá feachtas tosnaithe anois ag na scoileanna sin chun an ordú faoin PTR a athrú. Aontaím leis an bhfeachtas sin.

This campaign relates to one-teacher, two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher schools. In his contribution yesterday on behalf of the Government, the Minister for Education and Skills stated: "The Government will continue to prioritise targeted supports for schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage through DEIS over and above other schools." The schools that have contacted me in the Connemara area such as Leitir Caladh, Tuairín, Leitir Mealláin, Tír an Fhia, Leitir Mucú are all DEIS schools. Furthermore, they are all Gaeltacht schools.

Our programme for Government states: "We will support the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and will deliver on the achievable goals and targets proposed." The proposed increase in the pupil-teacher ratio for small schools runs contrary to the 20 year strategy and to the Minister's commitment for DEIS. The impact that such a loss on teacher numbers would have on class sizes will be huge in two-teacher schools such as the schools in Leitir Caladh or Leitir Mucú. The loss of one teacher would put the viability of such schools at risk. One teacher teaching up to 18 or 19 children of all A classes will put at risk the standard of education in this disadvantaged area. The loss of a teacher in larger schools such as Tuairín will increase class sizes and put a larger number of children in what are already physically small classrooms. Furthermore, backdating the enrolment date to September 2011 means that in the case of the school in Tuairín, which has 78 pupils, it only needed an additional three pupils to retain its four teachers. It would have been able to retain those teachers but because the enrolment date has been backdated, it will not be able to do that and it will lose a teacher.

While the negative effects of too large a class size is widely recognised and understood nationally, what is not as widely understood is the significant challenge of teaching a group comprising different age and year levels. This is an issue which predominantly affects rural schools and requires a teacher to devote more time to the preparation of lessons to ensure that all age groups within his or her class receive equal attention. If schools with such a system - which are necessitated in the first place to ensure adequate distribution of resources nationally - lose teaching posts, the task of teaching will be further complicated and the educational outcomes and opportunities for children will be placed at risk.

When these issues were raised last year we spoke of the value for money report, which has not yet been published.

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